Hi all
For those of you who didn’t get the chance to sign the petition (and receive your own e-mail concerning the response), here’s the reply:
'The Government is committed to taking positive action to improve services and treatment available for people with lymphoedema.
Whilst there is currently no cure for this distressing condition, it can be managed with appropriate treatment such as a combination of skin care, exercise, massage and compression garments or bandaging. In a few cases, it is possible to help surgically, for example, by transplanting lymph vessels.
The Government is keen to ensure that all patients have equal access to treatment in the NHS and we have provided substantial extra funding to help this to happen. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) helps ensure that the most effective new drugs and treatments become available to all patients. In 2002, NICE updated the Improving outcomes in breast cancer guidance and made recommendations on the associated lymphoedema. This guidance recommends that cancer networks should agree guidelines for identification and management of lymphoedema and that a lymphoedema service, staffed by nurses and physiotherapists who have experience in dealing with this condition, should be available for all patients who experience arm swelling or discomfort.
Some people with lymphoedema have experienced difficulties in obtaining treatment for their condition. It is the role of Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) to decide which services to provide for local people, including the management and treatment of lymphoedema. Local health professionals in PCTs are best placed to understand local health needs and commission services to meet them.
The Government has delivered substantial extra investment in the NHS which is helping to deliver real service improvements. Funding of the NHS has increased from £34.7billion in 1997/98 to over £96billion in 2008/09.
The main agency through which the Government supports medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC), an independent body funded by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills via the Office of Science and Innovation. The MRC is dedicated to improving human health through the best scientific research. While funds are not generally earmarked for particular topics, the MRC always welcomes high quality applications for funding to support research into any aspect of human health. Awards are made according to scientific quality and importance to human health and are judged in open competition with other demands on funding. Further details are available on the MRC’s website at: mrc.ac.uk.
The Department of Health also funds research for health policy development, clinical and applied health research in the NHS, and meets the costs to NHS organisations of supporting research funded by other bodies, such as research councils and charities. The Department’s research budget for 2008/09 is £825million.
A new system for funding NHS research has been introduced as part of the Government’s health research strategy Best Research for Best Health. This is to make sure that research funding is transparent, sustainable and based on the quality and volume of research undertaken. Under the new system, funding follows research activity, and cross-subsidies between research and other funding streams are being eliminated.
The way research funds are being allocated is based on consistent principles of fairness, transparency and contestability. Some funding will be awarded to the best researchers and the best centres, whilst some will be allocated across the whole of England on a population-based model. The funding model used for the different schemes is dependent on the aims of the individual scheme. More information about the Department’s implementation of the new funding system can be found at: nihr.ac.uk. ’
X
S